HOBOKEN, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team, No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, kicked off Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) play with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-12, 27-25) win over Misericordia on Friday night at Canavan Arena.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first 15 points of the night went back and forth, neither side able to string together three straight. Misericordia led 3-1, but the Ducks got back-to-back kills by Joshua Levandoske to tie. After Misericordia went in front 4-3 on a service error, the teams traded the lead back and forth three times over the proceeding 12 points, Misericordia eventually taking a 12-9 lead, then 15-11, drawing a timeout from the Stevens bench.

Three Misericordia (16-8, 2-1 MACF) errors in a string of four points brought the Ducks back within two, 16-14. After Misericordia got one back, Levandoske and Olcott (twice) put kills away, knotting the set at 17. After conceding three of the next four, Stevens roared back with the next four for its first lead since 9-8, sandwiching an Olcott kill and Sebastian Huyke service ace between a pair of Misericordia errors.

The Cougars eventually worked their way back in front 24-23, then 25-24 for the first two set point opportunities, but a Bennett Heydorn kill erased the first and a service error wiped out the second. An attack error gave Stevens its first set point chance at 26-25 and Ryan Schmid closed it out with a block.

Stevens (14-2, 1-0 MACF) led 3-1, 4-2, and 5-3 in the second, but Misericordia kept things close, eventually tying things at six apiece; Levandoske had two kills for the Ducks during the early stretch. Olcott quickly broke the tie, then gave the Ducks a 9-6 lead with three straight kills. After the team traded the next six points, the Ducks broke the set wide open with eight straight points, Hoke and Levandoske (twice) adding kills, Nick Schmidt adding a service ace, and three points coming via Cougars' errors.

With the third set tied at four in the third, a Schmid kill, Tyler Hoke/Olcott joint block, Misericordia error, and Olcott kill forced a Misericordia timeout with the Ducks suddenly in front 8-4. Misericordia worked back to 10-8, but could not draw closer as three errors, plus two kills by Hoke pushed the Ducks lead back to 17-12.

The following 11 points began with seven straight to the Cougars, but the Ducks took the blow and responded with the next four, turning a 19-17 deficit into a 21-19 lead.

After the Cougars squared the set at 21, kills by Heydorn, Greg Li, and Heydorn gave the Ducks a series of one-point leads and the first match point of the night, but Misericordia held, then held on the second as well, but the third time was the charm as Hoke and Olcott closed out the set and the sweep with back-to-back kills.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Olcott recorded a career-high 13 kills, finishing one dig shy of a double-double.
• Levandoske put away eight kills, his fourth game with at least seven after totaling four in his first five appearances of the season.
• Phu-Quy Ho recorded just his second kill of the season and sixth of his career closing out the second set.
• Jesse Knuckles tied his season-high with a dozen digs.
• Hoke finished with five total blocks, tying his season high.

UP NEXT
The Ducks are right back at it tomorrow night at Canavan in a Top-5 clash with No. 4 Springfield at 8 p.m.
 
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